diff --git a/src/invidious.cr b/src/invidious.cr
index 94d92442d..cc65dde0e 100644
--- a/src/invidious.cr
+++ b/src/invidious.cr
@@ -58,13 +58,15 @@ require "./invidious/jobs/*"
   # or weird installations that lack the `shard.yml` file when compiling
   # Invidious.
   {% if !flag?(:skip_version_check) %}
-    {% shard_yml = read_file("shard.yml") %}
-    {% crystal_constraint = shard_yml.split('\n').find(&.starts_with?("crystal:")) %}
-    {% minimum_version = crystal_constraint.split('"')[1].split(",").first.split(">=").last.strip %}
-    {% if compare_versions(Crystal::VERSION, minimum_version) < 0 %}
-      {{ raise "Crystal version #{minimum_version} or newer is required to build Invidious. \
-        You currently have Crystal version #{Crystal::VERSION} installed. \
-        We recommend that you install it following the way that the team behind the Crystal compiler itself recommend for your OS, see: https://crystal-lang.org/install/" }}
+    {% if file_exists?("#{__DIR__}/../shard.yml") %}
+      {% shard_yml = read_file("#{__DIR__}/../shard.yml") %}
+      {% crystal_constraint = shard_yml.split('\n').find(&.starts_with?("crystal:")) %}
+      {% minimum_version = crystal_constraint.split('"')[1].split(",").first.split(">=").last.strip %}
+      {% if compare_versions(Crystal::VERSION, minimum_version) < 0 %}
+        {{ raise "Crystal version #{minimum_version} or newer is required to build Invidious. \
+          You currently have Crystal version #{Crystal::VERSION} installed. \
+          We recommend that you install it following the way that the team behind the Crystal compiler itself recommend for your OS, see: https://crystal-lang.org/install/" }}
+      {% end %}
     {% end %}
   {% end %}
 {% end %}